Counterbalance and stop means for upwardly acting closures



R. B. FRAZIER July 2, 1963 COUNTERBALANCE AND STOP MEANS FOR UPWARDLY ACTING CLOSURES Filed April 4, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ram B17022,"

ATTORNEY,

R. B. FRAZIER July 2, 19.63

COUNTERBALANCEI AND STOP MEANS FOR UPWARDLY ACTING CLOSURES Filed April 4, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T INVENTOR ATTORNEY 7 W F. V: m d/ m United States Patent 3,095,922 COUNTERBALAN CE AND STOP MEANS FOR UPWARDLY ACTING CLOSURES Russel B. Frazier, Hartford City, Ind, assignor to (Everhead Door Corporation, Hartford City, Ind. Filed Apr. 4, 1958, Ser- No. 726,385 4 Claims. ((31. 160191) This invention relates to a counterbalance and stop means for doors or closures, and one which is particularly desirable for use in connection with such doors or closures in which the entire opening and closing movement is vertical.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a counterbalance and stop means for door or closure assembly having vertical reciprocatory opening and closing movement and one which may be readily adjusted to meet varying installation conditions.

Second, to provide a counterbalance means for closures of the vertically reciprocating opening and closing type in which the counterbalancing means includes a stop means or means acting as a stop for checking the opening movement.

Third, to provide a counterbalancing means having these advantages which is capable of a wide range of adjustment to meet the varying installing conditions.

Fourth, to provide a counterbalancing means having these advantages which may be readily adjusted at the place of installation to adapt to particular conditions.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary inside elevational View of an upwardly acting door assembly embodying my invention, various parts being shown conventionally, the door being shown in closed position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view with the door in open position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view further illustrating the relation of some of the parts.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view corresponding generally to that of FIG. 3 illustrating details of the cable drum, which is shown partially in section to illustrate the relationship of the brake element of the drum to other parts thereof.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cable drum further illustrating the relationship of the brake element thereof to other parts of the drum.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view partially in section and partially in full lines further illustrating details of the brake member and its relationship to the body portion of the drum.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the brake element.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a view partially in vertical section of a modified form or embodiment of my invention in which the brake element is formed integrally with the drum.

In the accompanying drawing, 1 represents a wall, 2 a door frame and 3 a sill. The door designated generally by the numeral 4 is of the sectional type being made up of a plurality of sections hingedly connected at their meet ing edges by hinges 5. The door is mounted for vertical reciprocatory opening and closing movement in the tracks 6 which, in the embodiment illustrated, are substantially vertical, the upper ends of the tracks being inclined so that they may project above shaft 7 on which the winding drums 8 are mounted. The details of the door structure as such form no part of the present invention and are therefore not described, and it is to be understood that 3,095,922 Patented July 2, 1963 ice this invention is adaptable to various types of closures of the vertically reciprocating type.

The drums 8 are mounted on the shaft 7 to be driven therewith, the shaft being powered by means of the coil spring 9 which is sleeved thereon, one end of the spring being connected to the shaft at 10 and the other being connected to the wall mounted bracket 11.

The drums illustrated are conical and are provided with peripheral spiral grooves 12 for the cable 13. The cable is attached at one end to the drum at its larger end and at the other to the lower edge of the door. The spring 9 is tensioned to substantially counterbalance the door, but it does not have enough tension to initiate the opening movement of the door when it is in closed position. The cable is attached to the drum so that it is wound thereon on the opening movement of the door and is unwound therefrom on the closing movement of the door. The door check or brake member 14 is of segmental cam-like or tapering shape and is provided with an internal rib 15 which supportedly fits within the groove of the drum. This brake member may be rotatably adjusted on the drum and secured in its adjusted or selected position asby means of one or more screws 16.

The drum is desirably provided with a plurality of screw holes 17 so that the brake member may be selectively positioned on the drum to adapt to particular installations, the brake member being positioned so that it engages the cable as the door closely approaches its fully open position. This brake member is provided with a peripheral cable groove 18 which merges into the groove of the drum. When the cable engages the brake member its radial distance from the shaft is gradually increased and thereby in effect increase the load of the cable on the spring to such degree that it serves to check the movement of the door, and serves the purpose of a stop or bumper which have been heretofore commonly used, but it also serves as a slowup check means which is important as abrupt stops frequently cause. noise or breakage when the door comes in contact therewith. This brake mechanism serves to gradually stop the door.

It will be understood that the tension on the spring 9 is increased as the door is moved to closed position, and it is reduced when the door is moved to open position, but is still sufiicient to hold the door in open position. Control of the opening and closing of the door is manual, the counterbalancing pull of the spring being such as to minimize the manual labor.

The applicant is aware that it has long been the practice to provide upwardly acting doors or closures with counterbalancing means, but the present improvement relates to the provision of a stopping brake for the door on the opening movement thereof.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 the conical drum 20 is provided with an integral brake element 21. This drum 20 is adjustably mounted on the shaft 7 as by means of a screw 22 which is desirably tapped into the shaft as is illustrated. Thus the drum may be rotated on the shaft to properly position the brake element 21 thereof for a particular installation. It is contemplated that the hole in the shaft will be drilled after it is determined in what position the drum should be located to properly position the brake element 21 thereof relative to the opening movement of the door.

I have illustrated and described my invention in a highly practical commercial embodiment thereof. 'In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 inclusive the holes 17 for the attaching screw 1-6 may be tapped into the drum when it is manufactured or they may be readily drilled or tapped at the place of installation. If preformed, a number of them are provided as is indicated in FIGS. 4 and 6. My invention is capable of a wide range of adaptations, but 1 have not attempted to ildisclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt the same as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired 'to secure by Letters Patent is: a

1. An upwardly acting door assembly including a door and substantially vertical tracks with which the door is associated vfor vertical reciprocating opening and closing movement, a counterbalance means for the door comprising a rotatably mounted conical drum provided with a spiral peripheral cable groove, a door'counterbalance spring drivingly connected to said drum, a cable connectedto said drum to wind thereon on the opening movement of thedoor and to be unwound therefrom on thetclosing movement of the door with the drum under continuous torsional stress of said spring, a segmental cam-like brake member having a rib on its inner edge conformedto supportedly engage the drum groove and having a peripheral cable groove which merges into the cable groove of the drum, but which'is of reverse pitch to that portion of the groove of the drum in which the brake member is disposed, said brake member being positioned on said drum to be engaged by the cable as the door reaches a predetermined open position, and means for securing said brake member to said drum in its adjusted position thereon. l

2. A counterbalance means for a closure member mounted for vertical reciprocating opening and closing movement, and comprising a rotatably mounted conical drum provided with a spiral peripheral cable groove, a door counterbalance spring drivingly connected to said drum, a cable connected to said drum to be wound thereon on the opening movement of the closure member and to be unwound therefrom on the closing movement of the closure member with the drum under continuous torsional stress of said spring, a segmental cam-like brake member conformed on its inner edge to be supportedly engaged in the groove of the drum and having a pe ripheral cable groove which merges into the cable groove of the drum but which is of reverse pitch to that of the portion of the groove of the drum in which the brake member is disposed and positioned so that it is engaged by the cable as the closure member approaches a predetermined open position.

3. An upwardly acting door assembly including a door and substantially vertical tracks with which the door is associated for vertical reciprocating opening and closing movement, a counterbalance means for the door comprising a rotatably mounted peripherally grooved cable drum, a door counterbalance spring drivingly connected to said drum, a cable connected to said drum to wind thereon on the opening movement of the door and to be unwound therefrom on the closing movement of the door with the drum under continuous torsional stress of said spring, asegmental cam-like brake member conformed on its inner edge to be supportedly engaged in the groove of the drum and having a peripheral cable groove which merges into the cable groove of the drum and is of increasing radius and is positioned on said drum to be engaged by the cable as the door approaches a predetermined open position, and means for securing said brake member to said drum in its adjusted position thereon.

4. An upwardly acting door assembly including a door and substantially vertical tracks with which the door is associated for vertical reciprocating opening and closing movement, a counterbalance means for the door comprising a rotatably mounted peripherally grooved cable drum, a door counterbalance spring drivingly connected to said drum, and a cable connected to said drum to wind thereon on the opening movement of the door and to be unwound therefrom on the closing movement of the door with the drum under continuous torsional stress of said spring, said drum including a brake member conformed on its inner edge to be supportedly engaged in the groove of the drum and having a peripheral cable groove which merges into the cable groove of the drum and is of increasing radius and is positioned on said drum to be engaged by the cable as the door approaches a predetermined open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

4. AN UPWARDLY ACTING DOOR ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A DOOR AND SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL TRACKS WITH WHICH THE DOOR IS ASSOCIATED FOR VERTICAL RECIPROCATING OPENING AND CLOSING MOVEMENT, A COUNTERBALANCE MEANS FOR THE DOOR COMPRISING A ROTATABLY MOUNTED PERIPHERICALLY GROOVED CABLE DRUM, A DOOR COUNTERBALANCE SPRING DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID DRUM, AND A CABLE CONNECTED TO SAID DOOR TO WIND THEREON ON THE OPENING MOVEMENT OF THE DOOR AND TO BE UNWOUND THEREFOR ON THE CLOSING MOVEMENT OF THE DOOR WITH THE DRUM UNDER CONTINUOUS TORSIONAL STRESS OF SAID SPRING, SAID DRUM INCLUDING A BRAKE MEMBER CONFORMED ON ITS INNER EDGE TO BE SUPPORTEDLY ENGAGED IN THE GROOVE OF THE DRUM AND HAVING A PERIPHERAL CABLE GROOVE WHICH MERGES INTO THE CABLE GROOVE OF THE DRUM AND IS INCREASING RADIUS AND IS POSITIONED ON SAID DRUM TO BE ENGAGED BY THE CABLE AS THE DOOR APPROACHES A PREDETERMINED OPEN POSITION. 